


The Price Of Heroism

by Calamity_Hero_Awakens



Series: Reverse Uno Card [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Broken Bones, Fi would make an excellent villain and I will fight you on that, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Master & Servant, Master & Sword, Personality Swap, Role Reversal, Serious Injuries, Tags Are Hard, Villains, Violence, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, this is sort of a series now I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25458298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calamity_Hero_Awakens/pseuds/Calamity_Hero_Awakens
Summary: “I’m suddenly feeling generous, hero,” the demon said, her mood changing on a dime. The sword at Link’s neck suddenly vanished but before he could start to fight back or squirm away, her hands were wrapped around his in an impossibly tight grip. Fear returned full force and the hero stared at his enemy, wide eyed and stunned in defeat - though he still wasn’t ready to admit to himself that he had been defeated.“Beg me to break your hands.”
Series: Reverse Uno Card [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1843972
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	The Price Of Heroism

He was running low on strength, that much was obvious. His legs shook and the muscles in his right arm were close to giving out as he lifted his sword, pointing it toward the villain who casually approached, looking as refreshed and flawless as she had when they had started nearly two hours prior.

“You should have given up,” the demon said, her own blade missing. “A mortal such as yourself could never stand a chance against a demon as powerful as I.”

The short woman’s head cocked to the side and she gave Link a look that could only be described as chilling. If was as if she were studying him, trying to determine just what he was thinking. Come to think of it, that was probably exactly what she was doing.

“If I am to be honest, I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long,” she continued. “Though, from my calculations, I detected a ninety three percent chance that you would be as stubborn as this.”

“Master,” a voice quietly chimed in Link’s mind. The hero was surprised Ghirahim had kept quiet for so long, so the sudden sound of his voice nearly caught Link off guard. “I believe she has become distracted. Now is your opportunity to strike.”

Link’s exhausted but steely eyes fixed on his opponent and he shifted just slightly to ready himself before springing into action, swinging his blade in a wide arch to catch the demon in the ribs.

As fast as the attack had come, it was blocked, the end of Link’s blade caught between two pale fingers. Brown eyes blazed as the blade was ripped from the hero’s hands and flung in an arbitrary direction, disappearing with a flurry of gold and black diamonds before it could come into contact with something.

“Ghirahim?” Link called out, hoping for an answer, but none came.

He was officially, royally, screwed.

The crimson of her red cape seemed more menacing than it ever had before as the villain approached the hero. Though she was just smaller than Link, her thin, white-clad figure was more intimidating than any of the foes the hero had encountered since his journey had begun.

“I toy around with you and allow you to escape with your life,” she seethed. “And yet you dare to challenge me? You should consider it an honour to be deemed worthy enough to battle a being as great as myself!”

With every word, she was drawing closer, slowly but surely backing Link into a corner. “I, Demon Lady Fi, have shown you nothing but pity and allowed you to continue breathing! And this is how you repay me? Have you no respect?”

Fi’s hand shot out and backhanded Link across the face, the impact hard enough to send him stumbling backwards a few paces, his back meeting the wall much too quickly. Her white gloved fingers snapped before a thin black sword appeared in her opposite hand, the same blade that had already inflicted several flesh wounds to Link’s body in this fight alone.

Blade to his throat, Link was pushed down to his knees by a hand on his shoulder. There was more force than necessary behind the act, but Link would have expected no different from someone as power hungry as the demon before him.

Panic was steadily filling him like the inflation of a balloon; with how weary his body was, the lack of his sword, and - more importantly - the lack of Ghirahim, Link’s options had practically fizzled out before his eyes in a matter of seconds.

On his knees before the enemy, fear making his heart race and his breathing come faster, Link was practically cowering against the wall, trying to find a way out of his situation.

“If only your precious Goddess could see you now,” Fi taunted, her hand remaining on Link’s shoulder to keep him in place as she flawless dropped down to squat in front of the hero. Her weight was beautifully balanced on the balls of her white-heeled feet. “I wonder, would she still have faith in her choice?”

The black blade of Fi’s sword was pushed against Link’s neck with a hard pressure, just enough to threaten instant death without actually breaking the skin.

Staring into Link’s fearful eyes, something in Fi shifted, a little bit of her anger morphing back into her wrathful mirth.

“I’m suddenly feeling generous, hero,” Fi said, her mood changing on a dime. The sword at Link’s neck suddenly vanished but before he could start to fight back or squirm away, Fi’s hands were wrapped around his in an impossibly tight grip. Fear returned full force and the hero stared at his enemy, wide eyed and stunned in defeat - though he still wasn’t ready to admit to himself that he had been defeated.

“Beg me to break your hands.”

The mirth in Fi’s eyes held something cruel and icy, something Link had never seen in any other creature before. His fear turned the blood in his veins to ice as the hands holding his squeezed.

“Beg me,” the demon repeated. “Then maybe I won’t kill you. Hm?”

Link continued to stare at the demon. Did she really expect the hero to beg for such a thing? If he hadn’t had a mission to complete and the world hadn’t been counting on him, he would most certainly have taken the death before dishonour.

“My patience is running thin, _hero_ ,” Fi said, her voice an equal mix of annoyance and boredom as she squeezed his hands tighter. “I could always break them and _then_ kill you. Is that what you would prefer?”

Link was stuck staring at Fi, his wide eyes betraying how terrified he felt. On top of the fear was the absolute embarrassment and that was infinitely worse than the fear.

“Last chance,” Fi sang as her grip tightened again, squeezing Link’s hands uncomfortably. He could feel his bones shift beneath the skin, nearly overlapping as they tried to rearrange to avoid breaking. With the pain increasing, Link knew what his only option was and it was difficult to push down the lump in his throat to form the words. When he finally managed to speak, he could only whisper one word.

“Please.”

“Pitiful,” Fi spat. “You’ll have to try harder than that, Skychild.”

The shame nearly overwhelmed him as he managed a little louder, “Please break my hands.”

“Hm, I don’t know that I’m feeling up to it now,” Fi replied in the most absolutely bored tone Link had ever heard. “I believe I shall simply kill you instead.”

Shame replaced the ice in the hero’s veins as he was resorted to truly begging, his voice sounding just as desperate as the demon had hoped it would.

“Please! Please break my hands. I’m begging you.”

“That’s a good boy,” Fi replied, moving one hand to caress the side of Link’s face. He jerked his head away, tears stinging his eyes and the lump in his throat nearly choking him.

Fi’s hand returned to his but she paused, staring him down with her piercing brown eyes.

“Once more,” she commanded.

Link didn’t even think twice before choking out, “Please.”

A malicious smile appeared on Fi’s white-painted lips as she finally began to tighten her grip with intent. This time, the bones of Link’s hands shifted until there was nowhere for them to go. That was when it became truly painful.

With nowhere to go, the bones nearly overlapped each other as they were compressed even further. Fi’s grip never faltered once as she squeezed, relishing in the scream of pain it drew from the hero and the sound of bones snapping and crunching within her fingers.

Link’s agonized screams echoed throughout the temple as his hands were crushed in the demon’s grasp. Tears flowed down his face in an unending stream though his eyes were closed, his head tilted back against the stone wall behind him. It felt like the pain and pressure enveloping his hands would never end and he was almost certain his voice would give out before the demon released her hold on him.

And just like that, Fi let go, dropping Link’s hands carelessly in his lap. The hero whimpered pitifully, lifting his hands up to hold them close to his chest as if that would protect them from any kind of further damage.

One of Fi’s heels pressed onto the top of Link’s thigh, her flat heel pressing uncomfortably into his skin as she stared down at him with angered eyes.

“If you dare to cross my path again, I will not hesitate to take your life. Is that understood?”

Link’s chin was tilted down, his eyes still closed as he nodded.

Without another word, the demon turned, wandering several paces away before disappearing with the sound of windchimes. Seconds later, the same sound rang out through the temple again and Link’s head jerked up. He couldn’t stand up to her again, not yet.

Fortunately, the demon was still missing. In her place was Link’s sword, the silver blade glimmering in the light.

“Master,” Ghirahim’s voice spoke as he materialized from the Goddess’s weapon. “Are you al-”

He was cut short by the sight of the hero crumpled on the ground, tears pouring down his face and his hands held to his chest. Ghirahim stood dumbly for a moment before slowly approaching Link, squatting down in front of him and holding out his hands for Link’s. The Hylian closed his eyes again, continuing to fill the temple air with his sobs.

“May I see?” Ghirahim asked, holding out his blue hand for Link’s. The hero’s eyes opened and he stared at the sword spirit for only a moment before slowly holding out his crushed hands. A blue hand and a purple hand took both of Link’s, holding them oh so lightly before setting them lightly on the cloth of his tight black and teal pants. Link whimpered but held still, not wanting to hurt himself further.

Ghirahim remained silent as he reached forward and dug out a red potion from the small pouch at Link’s hip. He absentmindedly flicked his head back, trying - and failing - to keep his blue hair from his face as he lifted the bottle to Link’s lips, slowly tipping it back so that the hero could drink it. It wouldn’t completely repair the damage, but it was a start. He would be able to receive proper medical attention when they arrived back on Skyloft.

With the contents of the bottle empty, the sword spirit stowed it back into Link’s pouch.

“I’m going to pick you up,” Ghirahim warned before setting Link’s forearms over his and sliding his hands into Link’s armpits. In this fashion, the hero was lifted from the ground like a ragdoll and held until he managed to properly get his feet under himself.

“I apologize,” Ghirahim said, gently taking Link’s wrists in his hands. “I should have predicted she would pull a trick such as that.”

“It’s alright,” Link said, his chest bouncing unsteadily with his shaky breaths. He awkwardly wiped his face with his shoulder. “I don’t think either of us were prepared for this fight.”

Ghirahim didn’t answer as he brought Link’s hands up to inspect them.

“We should return to Skyloft before venturing any further.”

Link couldn’t have agreed more. Standing quietly, his breaths slowly returning to normal though the pain in his hands was still excruciating, Link watched as Ghirahim retrieved his sword, sheathing it in its proper place on Link’s back. Ready to leave, Link carefully linked one of his arms with Ghirahim’s, his forearm resting over the blue material of Ghirahim’s long sleeves.

A pair of mismatched eyes gazed down at the hero with concern. “Let’s go home, shall we, master?”

Link only nodded.

What would his Goddess think of him now?

**Author's Note:**

> Idk, it’s just angst hours, I guess.


End file.
